Defence Team Champion for Visible Minorities Message: Black History Month 2024
February 1, 2024 – Defence Stories
Welcome to Black History Month 2024! As we reflect on the achievements of the past twelve months, let us acknowledge the collective efforts of the Defence Team towards inclusivity and equity. We are pleased to announce that we have substantially progressed the majority of the recommendations outlined in the Final Report of the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination, as well as most of those from the National Apology Advisory Committee Report. This affirms our pledge to fostering enduring cultural evolution.
It is also crucial to recognize that disrupting and dismantling systemic racism requires moral courage, curiosity, introspection, and a commitment to continuous learning. I am grateful for your continued allyship and invite you to continue striving towards becoming anti-racist in your own way. Underrepresented communities, in their quest for elevation, frequently find themselves disproportionately shouldering the overwhelming responsibility of peer support and advocacy. This imbalance not only exhausts their members but also results in a marked lack of recognition commensurate with their efforts. These are areas where allies can have an immediate and meaningful impact by engaging in active anti-racist interventions.
Drawing inspiration from the work of Dana Brownlee, Shereen Daniels and Ibram X. Kendi (among others), I emphasize that to move beyond performative measures and truly achieve meaningful equity and inclusion advancement it is essential to embrace the principles of racial literacy, racial humility, and racial stamina. This means to become more self-reflective and thoughtful about how we interact with and treat colleagues, friends, and neighbours who face barriers and marginalization by virtue of their racialized identity.
Conversations about race and racism, including anti-Black racism, in the workplace are undeniably challenging and are made more so by misunderstandings about the topic. Anti-racism is not an opposition to whiteness. Rather, it is a quest for equitable power redistribution and a deliberate action to dismantle the systems of power, rank, and privilege that perpetuate unequal outcomes for specific groups regardless of individual efforts. Moreover, in this globally racialized society, racism transcends across all racialized groups and creates divisions even among those sharing the same culture and ethnicity, especially when class is a factor. The interconnectedness of our lived experiences therefore underscores the importance of prioritizing courageous conversations, recognizing the historical and systemic challenges faced by people of colour.
Racial literacy encompasses the knowledge, skills, and awareness for thoughtful discussions on race, and it requires an understanding of, and honesty about, the historical context of racial trauma. Inadequate racial literacy leads to distorted perspectives hindering meaningful conversations. This Black History Month calls on each of us to work to enhance our own racial literacy so that we can better navigate the complexities of racism through an improved, shared historical understanding.
Yet, racial literacy alone is insufficient; racial humility is equally vital. Recognizing the limitations of our knowledge guards against overconfidence stemming from limited exposure or personal experiences. Whether exhibited by white professionals engaging in anti-racism or people of colour sharing lived experiences, humility facilitates continuous learning and openness, which helps to build bridges of understanding across the nuanced layers of racism.
The amalgamation of racial literacy and humility gives rise to racial stamina—the ability to sustain curiosity and engagement in uncomfortable conversations, without provoking defensiveness. Vital for overcoming challenges and conflicts, racial stamina fosters authentic relationships, maintains trust, and fuels innovation. This Black History Month, let us cultivate and nurture our racial stamina, collectively pushing through tough conversations for genuine progress.
During our transformative journey, Defence Team members can leverage many supporting tools and organizations, including the Defence Team Black Employee Network (accessible only on the National Defence network) and the Defence Visible Minority Advisory Group (accessible only on the National Defence network). Moreover, the Director Anti-racism Implementation (DARI) has launched a website dedicated to combatting systemic racism and racial discrimination in the Defence Team containing an anti-racism toolkit, learning hub, lexicon, and other related help and assistance. Lastly, you can also use the DND/CAF professional conduct scenario-based learning vignettes to gain insights and facilitate meaningful conversations grounded in the ethical principles and values that are the foundation of our organization’s culture.
Black History Month is not merely a celebration; it is a call to action for each and everyone of us. Actively identifying and eliminating anti-Black racism through systemic changes to our structures, policies, and attitudes, will further reshape power dynamics, promoting a workplace that embodies true equity and inclusivity. In moments of fading motivation, rely on discipline to do what is right, daring to lead with clarity, empathy, and justice. Thank you and happy Black History Month!
Commodore Jacques Olivier
Defence Team Champion for Visible Minorities
Director General Professional Conduct and Development, Chief Professional Conduct and Culture